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How to Make Spinning Tops
Toy Tops Are Fun!
I've been a fan of toy tops since I got a set of wooden tops as a Christmas gift exchange in grade school. Learning how to make spinning tops can be a great way to have more fun tops to spin.
Twisting a toy top with your fingers then letting go and watching it twirl is one of life's simple pleasures.
Make your own spinning tops to twirl and relax. Make some to give to a child in your life. The spinning tops listed here range from easy-to-make paper tops to wooden tops that require more tools and skill.
Photo shows my collection of wooden spinning tops.
Photo Credit: Peggy Hazelwood
Paper Spinning Tops
from Martha Stewart
You and your kids can make these easy spinning tops courtesy of Martha Stewart.
These spinning tops only require toothpicks, paper, and glue. Well, and some fine motor skills so younger kids will need some help.
You can also embellish these tops by painting the toothpicks or rolling the paper in glue then glitter. Or come up with your own fun ways to personalize your toy tops!
Oh, and speaking of Martha, click this link to see a collection of tops through the years.
Do you have a favorite type of spinning top?
What is your favorite kind of tops?
Make a Paper Spinner - Just watch and fold!
NinjaGo Lego Tops - Spin the Lego Tops and Yell "Ninja Go!"
The Lego NinjaGo spinning tops do battle and are a fun twist to the ever-popular Lego toys.
Make Plastic Spinning Tops
- Kanu Hawaii Story: A Handmade Hanukkah Game: Spinning tops From Plastic Bottle Caps!
Make plastic spinners with bottle caps. Great photo and easy project
More Ways to Make Toy Tops - Kits for making your own spinners
If you have the wood working equipment already, you might want to try your hand at making some traditional wooden tops. What a fun and lasting gift idea.
A Fast and Fun Video of a Wooden Top Being Made
Boys Playing Sports, Including Bowling, Spinning a Top, Stilts, and a Swing, England, 1600s - Buy This Allposters.com
Toy Top Collection
Jerry Fannin is a Texas rancher who collects toy tops. He has hundreds of metal tops, wooden tops, whistling tops, and more.
Click this link to see a wonderful collection of vintage spinning tops.
BeyBlade Battle Tops - Popular spinning tops
Bey Blades are popular spinning tops!
Tops Made of Old Skateboards and More - Who Knew!?
Tops can be made of just about anything. These links provide ideas for making tops from skateboards, various woods, and more.
- Recycled Skateboard Spinning Top Toy by TrilliumArtisans on Etsy
Recycled Skateboard Spinning Top Toys are made by Trillium Artisans member Jason Greene of Board Games. Please visit his Etsy shop at - Spin Top Segmented Purpleheart White Oak Birch by DCWoodcrafts
This beautiful One-of-a-kind wooden spin top is hand-turned on the lathe from multiple woods. For this top, I decided on a segmented design using - Classic Kids Spinning Toy Top Mountain Tops by tomlarkinwoodworker
Your secret to an unexpected, wildly successful gift for a hard to buy for child. Old World Wonderful! Who would expect a child today to set - Small Spinning Toy Top Wood by handpaintedloveboxes on Etsy
Made of solid wood, this spinning top can really get going. It is a real toy, just not for anyone under 5 years old please. Its about 2.5 - The Ohio Art Co Spinning Top by designisforliving on Etsy
Here is a great vintage spinning top! The top was made by The Ohio Art Co. in Bryan, Ohio which means it could have been made as far back as
Which of These Spinning Tops Will You Make?
Do you plan to make some spinning tops? Which one is your favorite?
Make Wooden Spinning Tops - Use these links for inspiration and instruction to make your own wooden spinning tops.
- MamaMoontime: More woodwork with John Elliot
A very simple wood spinning top to make. - Antique Top Collection
A gorgeous collection of antique spinning tops. Just a nice photo of old wooden tops. Lovely!
Make Easy Spinning Tops
- Optical tops to make: Fechner-Benham's and Sarcone's discs
Make your own magic optical top with cardboard and optical illusion designs on paper. - How to Make Spinning Tops | eHow.com
How to Make Spinning Tops. Spinning tops are among the most time-tested of toys. Perhaps this owes something to the ease with which they are made. In fact, all the materials you need can probably be found lying around the house.
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Comments are tops!
My daughter says she'd like to make the paper spinning top
I have a vintage metal top that I love. ~.~
I like the old metal, screw tops. The ones you pump to spin faster, miss those.
I'll show my age...we used to make tops from the spools of thread. They used to be a fairly solid wooden core. Not the lightweight plastic of today.
Love these spinning tops!
Just have to bless! Could not resist. My daughter and I made the paper spinner in the video and we're having so much fun with it. Thanks!
I like spinning tops. Sometimes at restaurants that have round coasters, we spend them while we're waiting for our food. : )
I don't know how, but I would love to make a wooden one. It would be so awesome!
Very cool idea for a lens.
I'd love to make a wooden one. That would be fun.
Love the classic feel of these x
High five for making me feel like a kid again. :) lol
Fun lens. I love the idea of making a spinning top.
Nifty toy to make. I'm going to feature this on my Civil War Christmas lens.
Reminds me of childhood... :)
This certainly tops off the fun!
I really like hand-made crafts that kids of all ages can create and enjoy, and this lens gives me some great ideas for putting my lathe to work. Nicely done!
This lens is tops! I used to love spinning metal tops as a child. I could spin for hours, daydream-dancing along with the spin.
You know your tops! And you know I think you're tops, too. :) Clever lens idea!
i used to have a metal one while growing up.
loved seeing the video that shows the man making a wooden top
I love a good old fashioned top - I love having battles to see how long each can spin, or having them knock together and fly apart. :)
- Author
@gottaloveit2: What a great idea, Lori! I'll work on that. I like to be a writer that provides equal opportunity to tops!
What a fun lens. You should put in a dreidel which is a jewish spinning top used during Chanukah!
I used to be fascinated with these. I guess I need to stop being so serious and spin a top once in a while with the kids. Life can take me away from what is really important
Wooden tops are a traditional toy that still captures of the interest of kids -- both young and young at heart. Nicely done!
Tops are an old-fashioned toy that still provide lots of fun. Glad to see you encouraging people to make these.
really a very interesting lens. enjoyed your vid on make spinning tops. nicely done.
- Author
@Joan Haines: Not weird, a coinky-dink! I love it!!
So weird. I was just spinning the little green top I keep on my desk 5 minutes ago, and now I read this. Can't wait to try making a paper top.
- Author
@Ann Hinds: Me too, Wordstock. I love watching them twirl and spin. Mesmerizing!
Nice lens on the tops. Like many, I can't resist a top today anymore than I could when I was younger.
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